Six police officers were also among the dead in the latest strike on a favourite insurgent target, according to the police and hospital officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
At least 23 people were also wounded in the blast outside the provincial council compound in Ramadi, capital of Anbar province, according to the officials.
“We rushed out of the office complex and saw many people injured and dead, lying on the street,” said Anbar Deputy Governor Saadoun Obeid, who was at his office when the explosion occurred.
The police found a second bomb in a nearby parking lot a few minutes later, but said they detonated it in a safe area.
(Published 12 December 2010, 15:50 IST)
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